Key and Clowns
by Patricia de Lioncourt
Summary: Dawn wasn't sure how it had started... but she wasn't sure she wanted it to stop.


Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or Batman: the Animated Series. Buffy and related characters belong to Whedon. Batman: the Animated Series and related characters belong to DC Comics and WB.  
Originally for TwistedShorts August Fic-a-Day Challenge (Day 11)  
Warnings: Sexual Content  
A/N: Okay, so this is NOT related to my current B:tAS/Buffy xover, The Funny Thing About Keys, which also stars Dawn and the Joker. This is a TOTALLY different world. As such, enjoy this! Oh, and "##" denotes a scene change.

* * *

**Keys and Clowns**

Dawn's back slammed against the wall, hard. She winced with the pain, but didn't cry out. She had learned, early on, that showing the pain only caused more to follow. She let herself slide down to the floor, bringing her knees up to her chin. She turned her head to the side, resting her cheek against the oddly cool wall, readying herself for another hit.

But it didn't come. She peeked open an eye, looking up the length of his purple suit to his grinning face—finding it more of a smirk now. He crossed his arms, _tsk_ing in disapproval. He reached down, yanking her to her feet by her hair.

"You didn't scream," he drawled out, and Dawn blinked, not sure what her reaction should be. "Does that mean we're done?"

What did "done" mean to him?

Dawn had been visiting Joker, in various locations as to keep the Batman guessing. And, of course, she didn't want her sister finding out she was having a torrid affair with a psychopathic clown. She had gone into her internship at Arkham well aware of the story of one Doctor Harleen Quinzelle. She had been sure she would not fall to the same trap that she had. Dawn's mind was stronger.

Now, Dawn would reply to that with, "Define 'stronger.'"

Joker pulled her—still by her hair—over to the bed, forcing her to sit. She whimpered, and that widened his grin.

"That's better. You know, you've been awful bold tonight. What's gotten you into such a _brave_ mood?"

Dawn swallowed, hard. She pulled her eyes up to meet his cold, green ones.

"Nothing."

##

"_Dawnie, this isn't safe," Spike said, blocking her way out of the house._

_Dawn stopped, rolling her eyes. She had been fighting the vampire with a soul all the way out of the slayer's newest headquarters in Gotham—which had not been put there because of supernatural activity. Instead, it was more of a way for Buffy to keep a tight leash on her kid sister. _

"_I know what I'm doing, Spike. I'm not a child."_

"_Do you, Niblet? Do you really? He will _kill_ you. I know his type. And this is all besides the fact that you are aiding and abetting an escaped bloody criminal! You'll be considered just as guilty if you're caught with him!"_

"If_ I'm caught. Now move!"_

"_No. Just, stop."_

_Dawn gave a mirthless laugh, pushing past the vampire. He allowed himself to be swept easily to the side, sighing sadly._

"_If you think I can just say 'no,' then you _don't_ know his type."_

"_Find a way. Or I tell Buffy."_

_Dawn, a grimace set firmly in place, exited the house, slamming the door behind her._

##

Joker pushed her back to the bed, brushing her hair out of her face in a move that was far gentler than any other he had made previously. His grinning visage hovered above her as he pinned her down. He shook his head.

"You're lying. Something's different. Not having _second_—" he placed a hand around her throat, tightening it "—thoughts, are you?"

She shook her head, because he was holding her too tightly for her voice to leak through. He let up just a tad, so she could gasp out, "No."

"Good," he said, lowering his lips to her neck. "Good girl."

She closed her eyes, trying to lose herself in the pleasant tingling that was slowly spreading throughout her body. She shifted, distracted, as the scene with Spike replayed in her mind. Joker was not too happy with that, growling into her hair before biting down in the same spot he had been treating so tenderly. Dawn cried out, moaning and whining until he finally released.

"You're not all here, Dawnie girl. I don't like that. Do you want me to endure something I don't like?"

His grip on her tightened, and Dawn shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm so distracted. I was found out, when I was trying to leave."

Joker shot to his feet, his eyes narrowed and glaring.

"What? Were you followed?"

He pulled his arms back, ready to deliver a blow, when Dawn sat up, shaking her head empathically.

"No, no! I wasn't. I checked, I swear."

"But if it was the Bat—"

"It was one of _my_ friends, not him. He threatened to tell my sister. He wouldn't follow after saying that. He knows that that's threat enough."

Joker raised a brow, a hint of mocking in his voice as he said, "Is it? Your sister, you say? Oooh, so terrifying."

He was pushing her down again, his lips tracing the lines of her jaw, neck, and lips. Dawn grinned.

"You have no idea."

Of course she hadn't told him about Buffy, about the slayer. She doubted whether he would believe her anyway, but she had decided to play it safe.

He didn't need to know everything about her. After all, this wasn't about love. This wasn't about trying to connect with him. She _wasn't_ Harley Quinn.

This was sex. Nothing more, nothing less. This was a release, and one she didn't often get in between medical school and her work with the slayers. It was dangerous. It was wrong. It was _her_ mistake to learn. And she was just fine with that.

A new vigor overtook her, and Dawn grabbed the lapels of Joker's jacket, trying frantically to remove them. He laughed, assisting her as he pulled her shirt off over her head. As soon as she had the top half of his clothes off, she had her lips on him, kissing his bleached-white skin like she simply couldn't get enough. It took only a few more moments before they were both undressed and underneath the bright lavender blankets on his bed.

Joker was on her, in control, as always. His lips and hands were all over her body, making her skin tingle. Moans slipped from her lips as she arched her back into him, longing to touch every inch.

He was rough. He didn't ask permission for anything he did to her, or if she could take it. He did what _he_ wanted, but even the Joker could not hide the pleasure that filled him when Dawn came to her peak underneath him. It was an arrogance that filled him then, knowing that he had made her finish, and that he had full control over whether she did it again or not.

"Scream, Dawnie. You know I love it when you do," he moaned as he slipped himself inside of her.

It hurt, but she closed her eyes, relishing the feeling. She did what he asked, her moans steadily growing in volume and length. Finally, as he found his pleasure within her, she let out one long, slow scream, feeling the swell of an orgasm wash over her once more.

He collapsed over her, breathing heavily. A moment later, he rolled off. And a few more moments later, he was asleep. Dawn sighed into the darkness, pulling her legs to the side of the bed and beginning the search for her clothes. She had done this before, had known that this was what would follow. Joker wasn't one for cuddling afterward. And he expected her to be gone, had told her as much the first time they were together.

Dawn combed her fingers through her hair as she exited the large, abandoned factory. It was well past midnight on the wrong side of town. There was a long walk ahead of her before she was _ever_ going to get a taxi to stop.

"Going my way?" a cockney voice leaked out of the shadows before she could make it two steps away from the building.

She jumped, shoving a hand over her heart as Spike, throwing a half-smoked cigarette to the cement, stepped out. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Here to lecture?"

"More like to question."

Dawn threw her arms up in exasperation. "Ask away."

She began her walk toward the road again, Spike falling into step beside her. She would have never admitted it in that moment, but she felt a lot better to have the self-named Big Bad watching out for her.

"How do you feel?"

She raised a brow. "I don't know what you mean."

"Do you feel used, dirty? And I don't mean in a fun way."

She pursed her lips and shook her head. He huffed.

"Really? Then you're a stronger soul than I am, Luv. 'Cause, when Big Sis was using me as her personal sex doll, I felt like crap. Sure, it was fun, but when it was over, I was nothing to her. And I knew that."

"You loved her," Dawn said. "I don't—"

Spike lifted a hand. "I'm not saying you love that clown. But that doesn't mean that you're not being used. And that's shit all the way around."

Silence fell between the two as they finally reached the street, walking along the darkened sidewalk back toward the better side of Gotham. He was right. Spike had always been the more insightful of the vampires they had encountered. There was a gnawing inside Dawn, one she couldn't shake and didn't like. Finally, she shook her head.

"I can't get away. I didn't mean for it to continue if he ever broke out of Arkham. B-but I couldn't say no. He wouldn't take no for an answer."

"You want out?"

She nodded.

Spike smirked. "Then you leave that to me, Niblet."

Tears trickled down Dawn's cheeks. She hadn't realized she was crying.

"You won't tell Buffy?"

Spike threw an arm around her shoulders. "Our little secret."

* * *

End Notes: Maybe a little OOC, but I thought it was fun. There are two other fics following this one, "Easier Said," and "Drowning in Him." Be sure to keep an eye out for them! Also, if anyone is interested, I have a fanart for this one. You can find the link to my deviantart profile at the bottom of my profile on this site. Please review!


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